a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lacings for footwear and other articles and, more particularly, to an adjustable stop piece that is threaded onto a lacing to react against an eyelet or other opening to hold the lacing in position against passage therethrough.
b. Background Art
Since time immemorial lacings have commonly been secured by means of various knots, such as the typical knots and bows used to tie the ends of laces in shoes and other footwear.
Although functional, the traditional approach of tying/knotting laces is not without its disadvantages. For example, although a relatively minor task in itself, the need to repeatedly tie and untie shoelaces remains one of life's minor annoyances for many people, and can present a significant challenge for persons who are handicapped or greatly overweight. Furthermore, tying knots in laces requires a degree of dexterity that some individuals may lack and even the most practiced and nimble fingers may have difficulty undoing knots that have become especially tight. In addition, the abrasion resulting from the laces binding and rubbing against one another over and over, combined with the tension necessary to create satisfactory knots, leads to rapid wear and frequent breakage of the laces.
Moreover, even when properly knotted, conventionally tied laces are less than satisfactory from an aesthetic standpoint: Although tolerated due to long custom, conventionally tied shoelaces present an untidy appearance, with the visible knot, loose ends and so on.
The exposed knots and loose ends also present catch hazards combined with the potential for coming undone during use; exposed knots and loose lace ends on footwear cause many accidents and injuries each year from tripping, and from being caught on or in automobile control pedals, bicycle cranks and chains, elevator doors, escalators, and myriad other mechanisms and obstructions. These disadvantages are particularly pronounced in the case of walking, running and other athletic-type shoes, which conventionally employ thicker, bulkier and stronger laces than many dress shoes.
In response to one or more of the foregoing deficiencies, many footwear users have taken steps to hide the knots, to avoid having to tie/untie knots in lacings at all. For example, one approach has been to pre-tie the laces with a conventional knot while leaving some slack, and then step into the shoe with the knot under the foot or behind the tongue of the shoe so that the laces become tensioned while the knot remains hidden; although this creates a neat “knotless” appearance that is popular with many wearers of athletic-type shoes, this approach is clearly less than satisfactory from the standpoint of user comfort, since the knot presses against and digs into the surface of the foot. A variant has been to simply tie knots (e.g., an overhand knot) or something similar in each of the lace ends on the insides of the eyelets in order to prevent the laces from pulling out; although perhaps less uncomfortable than the approach of standing on the knot, the two knots nevertheless tend to press against the upper side of the foot and also tend to create bumps and other visible irregularities. Furthermore, the knots tend to be drawn into or even through the eyelets, and in any event it is generally difficult or at least highly inconvenient to attempt to adjust the laces once the knots have been tied.
Another, drawback to conventional shoe laces is that the tension generated at the knot is applied more-or-less uniformly along the full length of the lace, resulting in pressure all along the top of the foot. While this may be acceptable in most circumstances, it presents a significant problem in situations where one or more areas on the top of the foot are sensitive to pressure, due to a sore or inflammation, surgical incision or broken bone, for example. The simple expedient of loosening the lace does not generally provide a satisfactory solution in such situations, since the resulting overall loose fit tends to allow excessive movement/slippage of the foot within the shoe.
Over the years various attempts have also been made to secure laces by means of various accessory devices, either in conjunction with a knot or without the need for a conventional knot at all. As a group, however, these devices have remained visible in use and/or suffered from deficiencies in terms of bulkiness, unsightliness, difficulty of adjustment, inadequate durability, excessive cost and so on.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus and method for securing laces, such as those of footwear, without the need to create a knot and without exposed bows and loose lace ends. Furthermore, there exists a need for such an apparatus and method that allows the laces to be secured in a neat manner and without a discontinuity visible on the exterior of a shoe or other article of footwear when worn. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus and method that allows the laces to be secured without causing discomfort to a wearer. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus and method that permits adjustment of the laces in a convenient manner. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus and method that allows footwear to be secured adequately for use but without necessarily applying pressure all along the top of the foot. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus and method that is economical and that is durable in use.